Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-03-18
BOGUS GOLD DUST!
HOW THE CHINESE MAN,
FACTURE 1T.
A Coin Basis Demanded.
Mr.. IpAHo.I.T., M'ch IA 'S7,

MT. IDAHO, |. t., nj 'ch Ii 'S1.
EDITOR Press AS the opening of
the mining season approaches, a few
words will not be amiss concerning the
manner in which gold dust as money
medium is circulated in our county, and
which is generally considered one of
the greatest drawbacks to our financial
prosperity. l5- q t...
The annual yield of gold exceeds the
proceeds arising from the sale of live
than twice over. The degrees of fine
ness vary from 4S0 to 800, according to
the locality from which it is produced,
and its value in U. s. coin, when tho
roughly retorted and cleaned, is from
SO 90 to SIG so per ounce troy. A very
large proportion of this auriferous yield
is mined out and handled by Cinnamon,
who, "for ways that are dark and tricks
that are vain, are peculiar" Instead
of submitting the amalgam to very
high heat, thereby freeing it from quick
silver, base metals. ETC., they divide it
into small balls or pieces, place it over
the fire only sufficiently long to heat it
externally; this process naturally fails
to extract, but retains considerable
portion of the quicksilver, etc.. which,
when assayed, will occasion a loss to
the shipper of at least ten per cent.
Nhau nIc tn nth l,i axiy 1afh h..
DDS to defraud. By taking proportion
each of say $l2 and SIG gold, and while
yet in its amalgamated state, mix and
retort it together and then pay it out
at $40 per ounce, which they can rea-
dily do, as its appearance would deceive
the most expert. Still another and
worse method of deception and ras-
cality practised by these heathens, is
the filing up of silver and mixing il
with gold amalgan; the ordinary naodu'
operandi of cooking it in nitric acid will
not reveal the presence of silver, auC
as this argentiferous metal never has
greater coin value than one dollar pc
ounce, the unwarranted and remarkable
losses sustained by the traders here cal
easily be understood. aa
What a contrast is the foregoing t,
that of the honest white miner, W hos,
aim and pride is to vie with each othe
as to which one presents the brightes
and cleanest dust at the counter.
Our farmers are necessarily obliged t.
take this sort of stuff in payment fo
hogs, bacon and other produce, of whicl
these mongolians buy largely, aud a
the average granger has not had mucl
experience in the handling of gold dusl
he is much more likely to be guled tha
the merchant. The losses sustained b
our business men on their gold -dus
shipments will average ten per cenl
THIS loss must necessarily (at least in part
be counter balanced By a corresponding pen
centoge added to all goods sold for ichtc
gold dust is paid.
The store keeper, when a batch c
this kind of dust is offered him in pay
ment for bill of goods purchase,
knoecing that IL has been adulterated, an
being alive to the maxim that "compe
tition is the life of trade" fearing thi
: his customer will go to competito
aofU not refuse to take IL, and thus thes
/ heathess are permitted to carry 0
D their nefarious work and are 'gettir
Y away with us" day after day.
s The question therefore sugges is it
0 self, how to remedy this existing ev
Why not adopt coin basis? | wou
suggest that our business men take til
+ initiatiye step; let them appoint tin
and place of meeting, and adopt sue
measures as in their Judgment will VIII
out as speedily as possible this aecurs'
system of swindle. M. .. kohl.
81